Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to exercising machines, particularly to exercise machines of the type using yielding elastic elements.
Description of the Related Art
There are numerous exercise machines available to develop the muscle groups needed for performing particular sports activities. However, there has been no exercise machine available to effectively develop the unique combination of muscle groups needed when paddling on a surfboard while surfing. That is because paddling while surfing requires more than just stroking one's arms through the water to thrust the surfboard forward. It also requires the strength and coordination to raise and hold the shoulders and upper chest and both legs upward, and well above the deck of the surfboard while paddling. The reason for arching the shoulders upward in that manner while paddling, is so that each arm can be lifted completely out of even very choppy water to avoid dragging the arm through the water while swinging it forward during each paddling return stroke. Accordingly, a surfboard paddling exercise machine should develop all of the dorsal muscles needed to raise the shoulders upward while paddling. Furthermore, to simulate the absence of any drag on the arm through the water during paddling return strokes, the machine should first provide a full measure of muscle developing paddling resistance during the user's thrust strokes, but then offer zero tension or resistance to the user's arm motions during return strokes. Additionally, the exercise machine should allow the user to simulate paddling with both arms simultaneously, or with each arm in an alternating sequence, or in any variation thereof, and at any typical paddling speed just as when surfing. The present invention is an advancement over prior art in that it does fulfill all of those requirements to develop the full range of muscular strength for paddling that surfing demands.